Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez took a break from the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow to visit a primary school ahead of the Government announcement on free school meals today.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his wife took a break from the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow to visit a primary school Credit: PA Wire

The Lib Dem leader announced a new £600 million scheme giving all infant school children in England a free school meal from September 2014.

The measure is aimed at helping financially-stretched families but will also have education and health benefits, Mr Clegg said.

The Government's plan to give every child at infant school in England a free meal will cost approximately £600 million. Credit: PA Wire

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the new policy giving all infant school children a free school meal in England was the first step in fulfilling his ambition to provide free school meals to all primary school children.

Mr Clegg said: "For the Liberal Democrats, this is a first step: my ambition is to provide free school meals for all primary school children. Another reason we want to get into Government again next time round."

The Deputy Prime Minister said free school meals would help "give every child the chance in life they deserve."

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The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has admitted his party will face a tough fight in London at the next election, when Brent Central MP Sarah Teather stands down.

Last week the former education minister criticsed her own party and announced she was quitting in 2015. In an interview with ITV News, Nick Clegg said he knows the keeping the seat won't be easy. He spoke to Paul Brand.

A Conservative former colleague of Sarah Teather has said her lack of children made her a less effective families minister Credit: David Jones/PA

A former colleague of Brent MP Sarah Teather, who has resigned as an MP because she disagrees with government policies, has suggested she failed to support tax breaks for married couples because "she doesn't really believe in family"

It's reported that Conservative Tim Loughton, who worked alongside Miss Teather in the Department for Education, told the Conservative Renewal conference in Windsor:

“The person who was actually in charge of family policy amongst the ministerial team at the DfE was Sarah Teather.

Which was a bit difficult because she doesn't really believe in family. She certainly didn't produce one of her own. So it became a bit of a family-free zone. I think that is a huge disappointment”

Mr Loughton, who was speaking to activists at the Conservative Renewal conference in Windsor, said: "The person who was actually in charge of family policy amongst the ministerial team at the DfE [Department for Education] was Sarah Teather.

"Which was a bit difficult because she doesn't really believe in family. She certainly didn't produce one of her own. So it became a bit of a family-free zone. I think that is a huge disappointment."